


Sweet Secret

by gummyrubi



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Ace judai strikes again, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Fanart, Fluff, Gen, M/M, and johan has the opposite of a sweet tooth, judai owns a bakery, this fic now has fanart, where johan gets tortured by sweets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22429537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gummyrubi/pseuds/gummyrubi
Summary: Judai owns a bakery and Johan walks in thinking he was only going to be there for the coffee.But the pastry chef has a super cute smile and Johan can't say no to his sweets.Too bad Johan doesn't like sweets.
Relationships: Johan Andersen | Jesse Anderson/Yuuki Juudai | Jaden Yuki
Comments: 10
Kudos: 110





	Sweet Secret

Johan yawned as he made his way down the street to get to work that morning. Music played in his earbuds, the shuffling just right to start the day. The sun still hadn’t made an appearance, with just a few hints of gold lights barely breaking the horizon.

Right now, he really needed some coffee.

He’d stayed up grading essays last night, falling asleep content when he noticed his students were doing great. He loved teaching and it made him happy to see his students excelling. 

His usual coffee shop was still a couple blocks away when he suddenly started smelling the wonderful aroma of a good cup of coffee nearby. 

He looked around and saw a new shop, advertising pastries as well. _Baked Goodness_ , it was called. 

He pulled his earbuds out and walked into the shop. 

A soft chime announced his arrival and Johan smiled at the delicious smell of coffee. 

He was also glad he wouldn’t have to drink the sludge they called coffee in the teacher’s lounge today. 

“Just a moment, I’ll be right there!” A voice called out from somewhere in the back. 

Johan took his time looking at the display case filled with lots of sweet goods, his eyes sparkling in appreciation.

“Good morning,” came the same voice again.

Johan raised his gaze up from all the sweets to see a person smiling at him. 

(Art by [cinnamonconi](https://twitter.com/cinnamonconi)!)

(Art by [cinnamonconi](https://twitter.com/cinnamonconi)!)

The guy had dual-colored hair with warm brown eyes and he wore an apron along with a nametag. _Judai_ , it read.

“Good morning,” Johan greeted. He smiled when he noticed the touch of flour on the guy’s cheek. “How many espresso shots are allowed in a cup?”

To his credit, Judai only blinked, then grinned. “Five.”

“Perfect. I’ll take that.”

Judai nodded, tapping away at the monitor. “And would you like a pastry to go with it?”

Johan was about to shake his head when he noticed how excited Judai looked for him to order something. Maybe it was his first day here or something. “Sure, I’ll have a,” he paused, looking at all the options in the display case before him, “chocolate marquise?”

Judai’s grin got bigger. “Coming right up.”

He told him the total and Johan passed his card over the scanner. Judai got right to work and soon, Johan had his drink and his pastry in hand. 

He brought the cup to his lips and downed quite a bit of it in one sip. He could feel the coffee warming him up from the inside and kickstarting his heart too. 

His favorite way to start the morning.

Johan noticed a set of eyes on him and he saw how Judai looked lowkey expectantly at him. 

He sighed inwardly and took a bite of the chocolate marquise.

It was sweet and chocolatey and soft and light. A hint of espresso in there too.

Johan offered Judai a smile. “It’s delicious.”

Judai’s happy energy radiated through the shop. 

“Have a good day!”

Johan nodded and waved as he stepped out. 

And as soon as he was sure he was out of sight from the shop, he closed his eyes tightly and drank more of his coffee. 

Johan didn’t _hate_ sweets but—they definitely weren’t his favorite. 

He glanced down at the bag in his hand holding a delicious treat to anyone else but him.

Well, maybe one of his coworkers would want it.

The coffee was delicious and all his though.

* * *

Class had ended for the day and Johan was on his way home, earbuds playing an audiobook he’d been excited to finally check out from the library app on his phone. 

Fall was starting to really make itself known and Johan wished for something warm on his walk. He had a car but since he lived about half an hour away from work give or take, he preferred to walk as long as it wasn’t raining. 

He walked past _Baked Goodness_ again and glanced inside. He saw Judai was wiping down the counter. A quick glance at the sign said the place was still open for another hour.

Johan paused his borrowed audiobook, took out his earbuds, and went inside. 

Judai perked up, smiling at the sound of the chime. “Oh hey, you’re the espresso guy from this morning.”

Johan chuckled. “I’m also known as Johan sometimes.”

“Then welcome back, Johan. What can I get you?” This time Johan noticed a couple of sprinkles in Judai’s hair. He nearly mentioned it but then he focused on his coffee. 

“I’ll take four shots of espresso.”

Judai glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind him. “You sure?” He tapped at the screen. 

Johan was used to that kind of reaction. “If I could inject coffee straight into my veins, I would.”

Judai snorted. “What do you do?”

They both looked to be around the same age, but they both also looked like they were college students. Maybe Judai was working here part time? 

“I teach high school English.” Johan had a fond expression on his face. “I love what I do but dealing with teenagers all day has me running on fumes by the end of the day.” 

“Sounds like fun.”

“That’s a word for it,” Johan joked, “Can’t let them know I’m anything other than excited to talk about literature and how to write the perfect argumentative essay.” 

Judai laughed. “Grading papers tonight?”

Johan raked a hand through his hair, a defeated smile on his face as he looked at Judai. “I'm the type to give them back the next day so the students aren’t worrying.”

“Very considerate of you. But it’s Friday.”

“I like to free up my weekends.” He didn’t mention that he really wanted to finish this audiobook before Monday as he felt it was too stereotypical since he was an English teacher.

Judai prepared his drink in the meantime. “Would you like a pastry to go along with it?”

_No_ was right on the tip of Johan’s tongue but he bit it back at the last moment. “Sure, surprise me.”

Judai lit up at that, then started scrambling around until he presented Johan with a strawberry tart. “I just finished making these a little while ago.”

It was covered in strawberries. The treat looked fresh and soft and delicious. 

Johan paid for everything and Judai handed him his order. He steeled himself and bit into the strawberry tart. “This is so good, you’re amazing.”

A very faint red dusted Judai’s cheeks, then he gave a big grin. “Thanks! I put an extra shot of espresso in there for you. Good luck on grading those papers.”

Johan looked so relieved to hear that. “ _Thank you_. You have a goodnight.” They waved to each other and Johan walked out. 

Johan waited until he was over a block away to sigh. The pastry likely _was_ delicious (his coworker had said so about the treat from this morning), but they were wasted on him. He just really didn’t like sweets. 

He also didn’t like lying but figured a tiny white lie like that was alright. He was just complimenting Judai on his baking skills. Next time he would order just the coffee. 

He finished his drink before he got home and a few hours later, went back to grudgingly finish the pastry because he didn’t want it to go to waste. At least it was also very filling.

* * *

Monday morning rolled around and as Johan was walking to work, he briefly considered going back to the other coffee shop he used to frequent because he only ever ordered the strongest coffee they had then left but before he had decided, he found himself standing in front of _Baked Goodness_ again. 

He needed to make up his mind more often before his feet took him places.

“Oh, good morning,” Judai greeted with a smile. This time, he had a smudge of chocolate on his left cheek. 

Johan smiled. Judai was cute and the chocolate looked endearing on him, so he decided not to mention it. He pulled out his earbuds again, pausing the last chapter of his audiobook. He was excited to finish the story but classes were going to start soon and it had to wait until after he finished working for the day. “Morning, I’ll have five espresso shots.”

Judai laughed. “Is it safe to say that’ll be your usual?”

Johan nodded, “You have me all figured out.”

“Would you like anything else?”

A beat. “Surprise me.”

And that’s how Johan ended up with a raspberry-filled donut in his hands. 

Ah, but Judai’s smile was really cute.

* * *

“Why don’t you just say no like a normal person?” Ryou, a history teacher and one of Johan’s good friends asked when they saw each other in the teacher’s lounge later that morning. 

Johan’s aversion to sweets was legendary and whenever his students brought in cookies or cupcakes to class, he always put on a smile for them and secretly gave them away later.

Ryou held his hand out and Johan gave him the donut.

He sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like I can’t say no to him.”

Ryou bit into the donut. “Then he must be in the right business. Also, this thing is delicious.”

“I’ll let him know it was.” Johan replied, downing the rest of his coffee.

Ryou raised a brow. “You’ve got a crush.”

Johan nearly choked on the coffee. “No I don’t.”

Ryou patted him on the shoulder. “You poor bastard.”

Johan sat back on the couch and closed his eyes. “I _don’t_.”

* * *

Tuesday morning before class, Johan walked into Ryou’s classroom and gave him a peach crumb bar.

Ryou gave him a look. 

“... I _do_.”

* * *

When the next few weeks continued with Johan being unable to say no to Judai’s sweets, Ryou decided to talk to him again. 

“Listen, at some point he’s gonna figure it out, you might as well save him the heartbreak.” 

“What heartbreak?”

“Yours, and his as the pastry chef.”

Johan looked up from the essays he was grading, the red cap of his pen touching his lips as he was pulled from his thoughts. His current student had done her best but she had lost the argument from the first page; he was going to have to do some more reviewing with his class next week. He looked back down at the essay, rereading the same line again.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ryou swiped the slice of tiramisu cake sitting on Johan’s desk, uneaten. The cup of coffee blacker than black had already been discarded earlier. Ryou had finished his essays about a half hour ago, now he was keeping his friend company. Or tormenting him. Same thing. “Uh-huh. So that huge crush on the pastry chef hasn’t gone away?”

Johan attempted to brush off the comment, but Ryou could see the blush on his cheeks. “He’s… sweet.”

“What a surprise.”

Johan groaned. “He’s funny and passionate about his sweets. I feel so at ease when I’m with him, I’ve stayed until closing time, and after, once the last of his customers have left and he put up the closed sign.” Johan thought about that day from last week. “We cleaned everything up and then we walked home.”

“Did you kiss him goodbye? Did he kiss you?” Ryou hummed in appreciation of the cake, it was delicious. Johan didn’t know what he was missing. 

“Nobody kissed anyone.”

“But not because you didn’t want to.”

Johan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why do I put up with you?”

“Because I have a sweet tooth and you can’t say no to the pastry chef who keeps giving you free sweets.” Ryou licked the spoon. “Look at that, we’ve come full circle.”

Johan regretted telling Ryou last week that Judai had stopped charging Johan for all the sweets he gave him. Johan had also told him that he kept putting money in the tip jar when Judai wasn’t looking, and it was always more than whatever treat it was that he was giving him. 

So, he didn’t feel _too_ guilty.

But the guilt he _did_ have was eating him up alive. 

“We’re just friends,” Johan started. “It’s weird to be that person who’s crushing on the pastry chef just because we see each other almost every day. He has tons of customers. He and his other co-worker must see hundreds of people come in and out of that shop every day. The fact that he remembers me is just him being a good businessman.”

Ryou sighed, sitting on the edge of Johan’s desk. “A good businessman isn’t someone who gives away his stuff for free. Or willingly spends time after hours talking with a customer.”

Johan poked his leg with the capped tip of his pen. “Go away and let me finish my essays, I wanted to stop by Judai’s shop after.”

Ryou opened his mouth to speak but Johan held the pen up.

“Shush.”

Ryou shook his head, then laughed as he headed out of the classroom. “I’m rooting for you two.”

* * *

When the soft chime announced his presence, it was a beautiful blonde that greeted him instead. 

“Good morning.” 

“Morning Asuka,” because she was the other person Johan regularly saw here. She was nice and usually gave him an extra shot of espresso in his order. 

She also never offered him any sweets. 

“Judai’s out sick today,” she said, when she finished ringing him up. 

“Is he ok?” Johan was worried now, thinking of what could’ve happened to Judai. It was strange to see Asuka here without Judai, if he was honest. 

“He’ll be fine, he just needs some rest.” Asuka assured him. She went off to make his coffee.

To this point, Judai and Johan hadn’t exchanged numbers. Johan thought it was too weird for a customer to ask for his number, even if they chatted whenever he came in. And Judai had never made any attempt to ask for it or give him his own, so Johan knew his place.

“Tell him get well soon, for me.”

She nodded, but before Asuka could reply, someone else walked out from the kitchen. 

She had long dark blue hair and gentle brown eyes. She looked guiltily at Asuka. 

“I may have almost burned the next batch of cupcakes.”

Asuka winced. She wondered if Judai would be able to _feel_ his pastries burning and try to come back. “How much is almost?”

Johan made sure to drop more than double what he usually tipped. 

The other woman, with a name tag reading Rei, immediately zeroed in on that. 

“Thank you so much!” She grinned. “Would you like an almost burnt cupcake for that?”

Johan chuckled, shaking his head. “No, thank you.”

It was so easy to refuse sweets from anyone other than Judai. 

Asuka raised a brow at him but before she could say anything, the smoke detector started going off.

The women scrambled back into the kitchen and Johan left, but not before adding more cash into the tip jar. 

Hopefully the place would still be standing by the time Judai came back.

* * *

“Just so you know,” Ryou started, sitting at the same table Johan sat during lunch the next day, “ _I’m_ not getting free sweets when I go to _Baked Goodness_ ”

Johan’s fork stabbed a little harder than it should into his salad. “You’ve been going to _Baked Goodness_?”

Ryou shrugged. “Sometimes you give the sweets away to Edo.” Edo was a math teacher and friend of theirs.

“His favorite treat is strawberry shortcake.”

“He doesn’t deserve it. He spread that rumor about me.”

“But you _do_ wear eyeliner.”

“That’s not the point. The point is he doesn’t deserve strawberry shortcake.”

“But you don’t like strawberry shortcake.”

Ryou drank more of his energy drink. Johan’s vice was coffee, Ryou’s was energy drinks. If only their students know how constantly cracked out they were before class. “Don’t care.”

Johan had to stifle a laugh. There was a story there, but he wasn’t going to try to unpack it just yet.

* * *

On a Saturday night, Johan was out walking around, having just come back from seeing a movie at the local theater. It wasn’t often he was interested in the movies airing, but he had enjoyed the book the movie was based on and the movie was just as pleasant for once. 

He was walking through the park, content with the way the light chill was making him love his fluffy scarf even more when he noticed someone familiar nearby. 

“Oh, Johan, hi,” Judai beat him to the greeting.

He was dressed casually without the apron, something that Johan didn’t often see. He was also missing what Johan called his trademark smudge of something or another somewhere on his face that he found very endearing. 

“Hey, how are you?”

They hadn’t seen each other outside of the bakery other than the time they walked home together, and never on a weekend either. 

“I got sick again yesterday but today I’m feeling better. I went to the store for some tea.” Judai lifted up the small reusable bag he had that presumably held the tea. 

Johan frowned when he noticed that Judai wasn’t wearing a scarf. “You shouldn’t be out in the cold if you’re still sick.” 

Judai sneezed. “It’s fine.”

Johan shook his head and started taking off his scarf. Judai tried protesting, but Johan wrapped it around his neck and didn’t notice the way Judai’s cheeks turned red. 

“Thanks.” 

Johan then noticed the redness and figured it meant the scarf was keeping him warm now.

After a beat, Judai spoke up again, “Hey, we’re near the shop, wanna come with me?” He didn’t meet Johan’s eyes. 

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”

Judai nodded. “I can make us some tea and coffee there.”

“Alright.”

The two of them walked, Judai asking what Johan was doing out and Johan talking a little about the movie he’d seen. 

It was comfortable, just being near him. Johan liked the feeling of it. 

Judai unlocked the shop and the two of them went in, keeping the closed sign up so that no one else would come in. 

Judai went to work and soon the sweet smell of tea wafted through the shop. 

“Do you want anything in the meantime?”

“I wouldn’t mind some coffee.” Johan made to pull out his wallet but Judai held a hand up. 

“On the house.”

Johan paused. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” Judai grinned. “As a thank you for spending time with me.”

Johan made a mental note to put more than usual in the tip jar next time he showed up. This place was the only reason he even carried cash nowadays. 

The two of them were sitting in one of the two-person tables near the register. Judai had a steaming cup of tea in front of him and Johan had one of coffee. 

“Oh,” Judai stood up, “lemme get you a pastry.”

Johan inwardly winced. “Uh, you don’t have to.” Because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get away with just taking a bite like he normally did. 

But Judai didn’t listen and was already in the kitchen, looking for something. 

He came out with a slice of chocolate cream cake. 

Judai was grinning at him and Johan tried to look like he wasn’t bracing himself. 

Well, it did _look_ visually appealing. They always did, Johan was always impressed by that.

Johan also wished he wasn’t so against sweets at this moment. 

He carefully took a small bite and after he swallowed it, he smiled. “It’s great.”

Oh, it was killing him to lie like this. He figured the cake really _was_ great but just not to him. 

“Tell me how you came up with the name for this place,” Johan said, hoping to distract Judai from the pastry. He had been shocked when he had first discovered Judai was the pastry chef and owner of this place, not just a worker like he had first thought. But he was proud of him for being so passionate about his business and always making what he figured was delicious things. 

“Well I was going to call it _Get Your Bread On_ , but my friends talked me out of that one.” Judai shrugged. “I thought it was a fun name.”

Johan laughed. “It is a fun name. _Baked Goodness_ works too.”

Judai sipped at his tea. “How are high schoolers these days?”

“Just as stressed as we were back in high school, if not more so.” It turned out that he and Judai were also the same age, but they went to different schools growing up as they lived on different sides of town so they didn’t have a chance to meet until now. “They’re all good kids, I just want them all to be happy and succeed.” He chuckled. “Their generation has quite the sense of humor too.”

“The future looks bright then.”

“That it does.”

They chatted a little more, and soon both had finished off their drinks. 

Johan looked down at his pastry, seeing he really had only taken one bite. 

Judai’s chocolate brown eyes looked straight at him for a few moments, after seeing the remains of the chocolate cream cake. “You didn’t like it, did you?”

Johan couldn’t stop the wince from showing. “It’s not that.”

Judai frowned a little and Johan’s heart broke. This sweet pastry chef just watched someone ignore his treat and he couldn’t even tell him why. 

“I don’t like sweets.” Johan inwardly cursed. Ok well, here goes nothing. “I mean, I don’t have a sweet tooth at all but all your pastries look amazing and I’ve been told by lots of people that they’re delicious and I think it’s wonderful that you’re this passionate and hard working pastry chef but I just,” Johan paused, shrugging helplessly, “I’m so sorry.”

Judai had looked sad at first because he had just realized he’d been lied to this whole time, and here he was torturing a customer with things he didn’t like. “You could’ve told me.”

“I know,” Johan admitted. “But, then I saw you light up and I didn’t want to be the one to dampen that light and you’re so sweet I just, couldn’t say no.”

He couldn’t raise his eyes to meet Judai’s, worried that Judai wouldn’t want to see him anymore. 

“You’re very sweet Johan.”

He immediately lifted his gaze, staring into warm chocolate eyes. He had a soft smile on his face. “Thank you for considering my feelings, but you could’ve told me you didn’t like sweets.” Judai thought for a second, “I’ll be right back.”

Johan watched Judai go back into the kitchen, wondering if he and Judai would still be ok. He crossed his arms over the table and laid his head down on them, tilting his head so he could still see the kitchen entrance. 

Judai came back out a couple minutes later, holding a plate with something on it.

Johan sat up straight and visibly braced himself when Judai set down another pastry in front of him. 

So his punishment for lying was to eat another sweet. 

Johan would do it. 

It was a small little treat with a star in the middle and it kind of looked like a pie. 

Judai ended up taking the plate of the chocolate cream cake and started eating it himself. 

Johan looked up at Judai questioningly.

Judai winked at him. 

Johan took the fork and cut out a small piece. It didn’t smell too sweet, but he wasn’t sure what it was. 

He tried it.

And he lit up. 

“What is this? It’s so good.” It wasn’t sweet at all. It was actually _really_ good. Johan went to take another bite.

Judai looked just as happy. “It’s a mini mince pie.” Judai went the more traditional route with this one that he’d made yesterday before he went home, and it had meat in it instead of the usual fruit. 

Johan smiled apologetically. “I should’ve said something sooner.”

Judai looked pleased with himself. “I’m just glad I have things you’ll actually like.” That promised of a future, didn’t it?

Johan blushed, then finished eating the mini mince pie. Judai ended up getting him another one after.

The two of them talked for a little while longer, then eventually they left, Johan walking Judai part of the way home again. Judai tried to give back the scarf but Johan refused, saying he’d rather Judai keep it so he could stay warm and not get sick again. Judai blushed a little, but accepted it.

Johan went home feeling relieved. 

He no longer had to keep that secret. Ryou would be so proud.

* * *

“Good morning Johan,” Judai greeted on a Monday.

Johan took out his earbuds again and smiled at the pastry chef. “Morning.” He was the only one at the shop, as was the usual this early into the day. 

“Your usual?” 

“Yes, please.” He pulled out his card to pay, figuring Judai wouldn’t be asking him for a—

“Would you like a treat to go with it?”

Johan hesitated, lowering the card. If there was another mini mince pie he’d accept that, but a quick glance at the display case didn’t show any of them. 

Judai laughed. “Hold that thought.”

He went to the kitchen meanwhile Asuka went to ring him up. 

“Oh wait, I’m not sure what he’s getting.”

“I know what it is,” she pointed to the scanner. 

He automatically held his card over the scanner and she gave him a receipt. He almost noticed she didn’t charge him for the treat.

But before he could say anything, she turned to him. “By the way, it was about time.”

“Huh?”

She grinned at him. “You and Judai.”

“Sorry?”

Judai came out at that moment and Asuka went to make his coffee, with an extra shot of espresso. 

He handed Johan a little tray with a pastry on it, different than the one from the other night. 

“It’s a cheese danish. Savory, not sweet.”

Johan bit into it. “That’s _so_ good.” 

Judai bit his lower lip. "Oh and, we're starting loyalty cards here, every fifth stamp gets you a free item." He scrambled around behind the register and pulled out a white card, red trimmed with the logo and cute versions of some of his most popular treats. He hesitated for a second, then held it out. 

Johan grinned at him as he took it. Judai had already stamped the first of the ten squares. "Thank you." 

They held each other's gazes for another moment or two and then Johan had to leave since classes were going to start soon. 

Johan waved goodbye to Judai and Asuka then walked out of the shop. 

As soon as the door closed behind him, Asuka walked over to Judai. "Tell me you got his number at least?" She had been hearing Judai go on and on about the lovely smile Johan had and those beautiful eyes and how soft he made him feel when they talked. She thought it was very cute but she wanted to see them stop pining already and just make a move. 

Judai blushed and busied himself with wiping down the counter. "Not yet."

* * *

Outside, Johan attempted to drink his coffee while holding up his treat and the card but accidentally dropped the card. He stopped to pick it up and when he did, he took a good look at it. 

The back of the card that he hadn't seen still had the name and logo of the shop, but what he didn't notice was the extra writing on it.

_Hey, call me sometime? -J._

Followed by what he presumed was Judai's number. 

Johan blushed, slipping the card into the front pocket of his shirt.

He would call him tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> BTW they're like, 25-27 in this fic lol. I meant to specify their age somewhere but I just realized it never happened so here ya go lol  
> 2.9.2020 UPDATE: LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL ART [cinnamonconi](https://twitter.com/cinnamonconi/status/1225479889324773376) DREW!!!! IT'S SO CUUUUTE!!   
> Also I don't do sweets so I had to google some lol  
> This fic was fun to write! I missed writing oneshots for this ship! I have so many more that I'm half-done/partially-started/almost done so be on the lookout for those ! :D  
> Did anyone catch the hints of proshipping in here? ;D  
> Come find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/gummyrubi) and [tumblr](https://chocomonki.tumblr.com) to talk this ship with me! :D


End file.
